
          Washington City March 21st 1847. 


 My dear Sir,


 The marriage of my sister prevented 
 my writing last week and giving you an answer 
 in regard to the time of Mr. Frémonts return. 
 I am half ashamed to say that the Frémontia 
 reached here last summer, but if you can 
 excuse my neglect for that once I will promise 
 never to do so again. For once Mr. Cave Johnson is 
 not to blame, but in another case I think he is. 


 Before Mr. Frémont left I sent to your daughter, who 
 pressed some of his plants, a card case of Chinese 
 manufacture brought to me from Canton, which is 
 I expect in the dead letter office. The uncertainty 
 of trusting to a third party on the prairies 
 as well as here, will I think deter Mr. 
 Frémont from sending in his plants in advance
 of his party; and for his own arrival we 
 cannot reasonably look until May or June 
 if indeed then. This war has interfered sadly
        